USPA NEWS - Was held on November 9, 2018 a New Editon of "CONNECTED CITIES SUMMIT" in PARIS. Focused was made on Public Transportation in FRANCE and Worldwide. Smart Mobility is undermining Certainties and revolutionizing Habits. The Distinction between Public and Private as well that between Product and Service will become Obsolete, as well as the Idea that moving around by Car means polluting and driving.

Was held on November 9, 2018 a New Editon of "CONNECTED CITIES SUMMIT" in PARIS. Focused was made on Public Transportation in FRANCE and Worldwide. Smart Mobility is undermining Certainties and revolutionizing Habits. The Distinction between Public and Private as well that between Product and Service will become Obsolete, as well as the Idea that moving around by Car means polluting and driving. Improving Transport in order to pollute Less and to save Time, fits of Nerves and if possible Human Lives too. This is the Smart Mobility Challenge faced by many Big Cities

As Cities Today embark on the Journey to become a Smart City, the Path may not always seem Clear, and Priorities can evolve during the Sprint to Innovate. One of the Largest Areas of Consideration in developing Smart Cities regarding Transportation is Urban Mobility, which is the Evolving Demographics, Digitization, and Collaborative Consumption changing the Ecosystem and Opportunities in Cities today. In the Process of managing Urban Mobility, Governments must create a Competitive Edge in Transportation that they can implement for their Citizens and Tourists alike.

Urban mobility can be Smart, and Increasingly it’s the Person on the Street making the Difference. People fed up with Congested Cities, are innovating Smart Mobility with New Mobile Technologies and Intuitive Apps which integrate Public Transportation, better Infrastructure, and Car Sharing. Plus, Smart Mobility puts Green at the Top of the List. All in all, Smart Mobility solutions create Less Congestion, Better Access to Public Transport and Cleaner Air. Citizens want to be connected to all of their Devices at All Times, whether that be through Mobile, Vehicles or Computers across their Personal and Professional Lives. As Most Citizens are always on the go, Professionals in particular need to have the ability to work in any Location, whether that be on Public Transportation, in the Privacy of their own Car, or at an Office.

Currently, digitization in networks and the need to provide travel aid for more citizens are two areas of innovation that cities are researching. While each city varies in its development stage and creates its own innovation plans, being able to meet the increased traffic of its own citizens and tourists is crucial. According to Figures published by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 6.4 Billion People (some 66% of the World’s Population) will be living in Cities by 2050. In Helsinki, they are getting ready for this ahead of Time with the Vision 2025 Programme, which envisages that by that Date no Inhabitant of the City will need to own a Car, as everyone will have a Pass that will provide a Single Solution for Public and Private Transport.

Many Projects need Heavy Investment in the Transport System in the City and Outside it, as well as a New Attitude towards Mobility, based on People’s Joint Use of Different Means (Train, Bus, Car-Sharing, Bike-Sharing, Taxi etc.) in order to reach their Destination and on the Processing of So-Called Big Data on Traffic and Weather, as well as the Implementation of Payment Systems that allow more than One Ticket to be bought in a Single Transaction. The Change of Paradigm in Terms of Mobility is also due to the Fact that the Younger Generation increasingly views the Car as a Service and no longer as a Personal Possession. Another Aspect of all this is the Development of Zero-Emission Technologies. If Electrically-Powered Vehicles are by now a Reality, there are Manufacturers that can see a Future in which the Car will become one of the Elements in a Smart Grid, connected to the Home and responding to Demand by taking and giving back Energy, to be stored in Large and Elegant Batteries linked to Renewable Sources.

As a Technology Leader, Mastercard is committed to being a Driving Force in the Private Sector to make Cities "better". Payments touch every Aspect of people Lives. And Digital Payments make lives "Simpler", "Safer" and "Smarter". With the Tap of a Card or a Mobile Phone, City Dwellers and Visitors can ride a Bus, Bike, Train or Ferry without the Inconvenience of buying a Ticket or transit Card. Mastercard claims to be able to unlock the Power of Data and Digital Engagement. Most City Transport Systems are sized to accommodate Peak Morning Demand. But, in Many Cities around the Globe, Existing Infrastructure will not be able to cope with Growing Demand, and enhancing Capacity will take Years. Using Tailored Digital Engagement with Riders and Active Demand Management with Incentives and other Measures, Cities can relieve some of the Immediate Pressures on Transport Infrastructure and spread out their Large-Scale Investment Programmes over a Longer Period.

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